Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
The metaverse is at the forefront of digital innovations transforming sport and leisure. The metaverse, a shared digital environment accessible via the Internet, currently operates as separate entities, challenging the promise of an integrated space. This highlights a critical dilemma—the need to balance centralized control with individual agency. The purpose of this article is to examine the metaverse’s development at the intersection of technological innovation and user interaction. Guided by a uses and gratifications perspective, we underscore the critical role of collaboration between firms shaping the metaverse and the individuals enhancing it. Despite centralization challenges, maintaining a balance between firm-led initiatives and user contributions is instrumental for an interactive metaverse. Addressing this tension will help shape whether the metaverse evolves into a shared space or remains constrained by centralized control. Overall, the metaverse is poised to impact sport and leisure, making it a crucial area for exploration and development.
Pizzo et al. (Wed,) studied this question.